The Brazilian Navy has plans to acquire two new mine-countermeasures vessels from Saab Kockums.
The awarding of the contract for the purchase of two MCMV 47 Koster-class ships has not yet been given clearance by senior navy officials, who cited budget concerns without giving specifics.
The navy hopes to acquire the new vessels to replace its current fleet of Aratu-class coastal minesweepers, which were delivered from Germany in the 1970s.
The navy's original plan, the Programa de Navios de Contramedidas de Minagem ("Mine-Countermeasures Vessel Program"), entailed the acquisition of in-service mine-countermeasures ships from other friendly navies, but no deals were ever finalised under this plan.
